Heinz Product Recall

TORONTO, December 11, 2009 – With an abundance of precaution and in cooperation with Health Canada, Heinz Canada is voluntarily recalling a limited amount of Heinz Mixed Cereal (Add Breast Milk or Infant Formula – purple banner) with best before dates of December 26 and December 29, 2010. No other Heinz products or cereal varieties are affected.

A very small number of Heinz Mixed Cereal (Add Breast Milk or Infant Formula – purple banner) packages were found to have extremely low levels of ochratoxin (a secondary metabolite of mould associated with grains). The affected products have a UPC 0 57000 02516 8 and production code of BB/MA 10 DE 26 and BB/MA 10 DE 29. The product code information can be found at the top and front of the package.

No illness has been reported.

The CFIA said that "even the highest levels of ochratoxin A found in these products are not high enough to pose a health risk when consumed as part of a normal diet over the short term." Therefore, if any children have already consumed the affected cereal, there is no need for further action, according to experts at Health Canada.

Heinz Canada is taking immediate action to ensure that any affected product is removed from store shelves. We recommend that consumers discard the affected product and contact Heinz for a full refund.

Heinz Canada’s baby foods have been trusted by Canadian parents for over 75 years. While the levels of ochratoxin are extremely low, we believe that the right thing to do is to withdraw the affected product from the market.